Judge Trauger expects that counsel and all parties will review the procedures and requirements below prior to communicating with the Court, and to the extent that an attorney is aware of the procedures, counsel should make other attorneys and/or unrepresented parties aware of same. The following should be considered standing Orders which parties and litigants must follow when practicing or appearing before Judge Trauger.

Counsel and unrepresented parties should not correspond or communicate with the Court concerning pending matters unless or until they have first communicated with opposing counsel and confirmed with opposing counsel that they intend to contact the Court.

The Court will not communicate with counsel or parties regarding what witnesses or evidence the Court would like to hear. It is each party’s decision to present the testimony, witnesses or exhibits necessary for the matter before the Court. The Court encourages stipulations as to agreed-upon facts, witnesses or exhibits. Copies of letters should be sent to opposing counsel prior to being sent to the Court.

Please do not contact Chambers in order to enforce Court Orders. Enforcement of Court Orders does not occur through communication with Chambers. All parties - both counsel and unrepresented parties - must file the appropriate formal pleadings related to enforcement of Court Orders.

Self-represented or pro se parties should also read the section entitled “Self-Represented or Pro Se Litigant Notice and Procedures”.

Communications with the Court concerning pending matters should either be by formal pleadings (petitions and motions) or, if all parties and counsel agree, the Court will accept correspondence or a phone conference. The Court expects that there will be an actual purpose for the communication other than to complain generally about another attorney’s (or party’s) lack of cooperation or failure to do something. The Judge’s staff screens correspondence and will not present letters to the Judge which are ex parte, inappropriate communication, or in some other way not consistent with the above-referenced procedures and requirements.

The Court will accept communications by email provided the other party has had an opportunity to review same and respond. PLEASE NOTE: The Court’s email address or fax number are only monitored and responded to during the Court’s regular business hours. Do not send an email or fax at night or on the weekend and expect that it will be reviewed or responded to at any time prior to the Court’s next business day.

The Court’s email address for Judge Trauger’s Assistant is: kcdement@buckscounty.org. The fax number for Chambers is 215-348-5208.

All correspondence should confirm that direct communication with the Court complies with these procedures and requirements and in particular that the communication is being presented with the full knowledge of all other attorneys and/or parties.

When the parties agree to conference a matter with the Court, the Court will do everything in its power to accommodate the parties with personal conferences and/or phone conferences. Should the parties have a disagreement which they believe can be resolved by a phone conference or a short conference, and all agree to proceed in that fashion, the Court will attempt to accommodate the parties.